between you and me
by Reade-Queen-Of-Versailles
Summary: [Multiple Soulmates AU oneshots] welcome to a world of glowing necklaces, words on wrists, and strings of fate. (and love. lots of it.)
1. isomegu: between moments of silence

**1**

 **isomegu**

 **between moments of silence**

—

Sunlight was filtering through the large bay windows, the peak of the afternoon. Those bored enough to laze around and zone out of the teacher's lecture, which was well over half the students, stared into the bright peals of light, having nothing better to do.

Isogai was attentively listening. He didn't understand how his classmates could neglect this time of education. In true ikemen-like fashion, he started taking notes diligently.

Eventually, his attention drew to the new girl that had just arrived yesterday, sitting in the front row. He wasn't sure who she was or what she was called.

The new girl was tall, almost his height, with straight silvery-brown bangs held in a neat ponytail. She was always the first to arrive and the last to leave.

Other than Isogai, the new girl was the only one who listened. She seemed to focus on the teacher with great interest. Despite this, she never took notes or wrote in her notebook - if she had one. Isogai had no idea. The only thing she kept on her desk was a water bottle and a copy of The Lord of the Flies.

"Okay everyone, that's all for today," their teacher said, packing up his sheets of loose leaf. "Before I go, I just wanted to ask if there were any volunteers who could help me out before school tomorrow. The children's festival needs setting up."

Isogai's hand shot up almost instantly. "I will, sir!"

"He's Prince Charming!" shrieked a group of students at the back of the room.

"Excellent! Thank you, Isogai!" the sensei beamed. Isogai returned the smile graciously. "Anyone else? I think Isogai and I will need one more person."

Silence.

"I'm willing to help, sir," said the new girl, demurely putting up her hand.

"Thank you, Kataoka! I'll see you at six thirty sharp tomorrow morning!" the teacher nodded. "Now, you are all dismissed!"

The classroom was empty within a matter of seconds.

Isogai stayed behind, slowly packing up his things. He wasn't in a rush.

As he shouldered his schoolbag and headed towards the door, he decided to say a few words to the other girl - Kataoka, he remembered.

Kataoka was opening her book. To Isogai's surprise, she didn't even look at the words. Just flicked through the pages, stopping for a minute on each one.

He stared at her 'reading' for a long time before breaking out of his stupor and confusion.

"Um…Kataoka?" he started.

Her head jolted up and she looked around, as if unsure who was talking to her.

"Oh…is it Isogai?" she asked, cocking her head.

"Y-Yeah." He felt oddly stammery. "I just wanted to thank you for volunteering."

Augh! How stupid could he get? That was an idiotic thing to say!

"Um, well, see you tomorrow!"

She smiled. "Alright then. Bye, Isogai."

—

Isogai was there at six fifteen. He was always the early bird.

However, Kataoka was earlier.

"Good morning," he greeted, stepping up to her. She was sitting under a tree, holding another book - Sense and Sensibility.

"Good morning, Isogai."

She said no more, only sat cross-legged with the book in her lap, hands folded over it, looking quite perfect.

He decided to sit down next to her.

It was a clear, cloudless morning; the weather was warm, too.

"Nice day, isn't it?" he said. "The sky's really blue. There's hardly any clouds."

Kataoka looked up, straight into the foliage of the tree. "I'm sure."

She opened her book. Every single page was blank. Isogai tried not to stare, and failed.

"Um…Kataoka…are you reading a blank book?" he blurted. Immediately, he mentally slapped himself. "I…I'm sorry if that offends you. I don't mean to be rude. I…"

Kataoka giggled. "It's okay. I get that a lot." She paused.

"You see, Isogai, I'm blind."

Oh.

OH.

He mentally slapped himself again for being an idiot. Of course she was! That was why she had said "I'm sure" when he had talked about the blue sky!

"I'm sorry," he apologised.

"It's alright," she responded, amused. "I'm sorry if that made you confused."

Isogai studied her carefully. Yes, her eyes were kind of staring into no where…and her book had some little bumps on it. Braille.

"Um…mind if I introduce myself again? Start over?" he questioned.

She nodded.

"Yuuma Isogai," he said, sticking out his hand for her to shake. He hadn't realised that she couldn't see it.

"Megu Kataoka," she smiled, and stuck out her's. He shook it.

Her name sounded familiar, but he wasn't sure from where exactly.

"Isogai! Kataoka! I see you're nice and early!" their teacher grinned, walking up to them. "Let's get started, shall we?" He walked off, gesturing for them to follow.

Isogai nodded. He stood and grabbed Kataoka's hand, pulling her up.

"Thank you," she said. Then she flushed pink. "Um…do you mind if you keep doing that?"

"Pulling you up?" Isogai replied.

"No…" Kataoka whispered. "Holding my hand."

He felt his own cheeks redden and was glad she couldn't see them. "K-Kataoka…"

"I forgot my guiding stick, and I need you to guide me so I don't bump into anything," she blurted in a rush. "If that's okay with you."

Isogai smiled gently. Not that she could see. "Of course." He squeezed her hand.

And for the rest of the day, their hands had been clasped.

—

"Happy seventeeth birthday, Megu!"

Kataoka smiled widely. "Thank you, Yuuma. What have you got?"

He took her hands and sat her down on a plushy chair. "I wanted to get you something really special," he began. She could tell he was blushing madly, even though she couldn't see hom, because his voice was a little choked and slightly high-pitched.

"You needn't," Megu reassured. "I don't usually get much anyway."

"Still." He squeezed her hands again, and she felt herself blushing too.

Yuuma was quiet for a while before speaking up. "I…I got you a braille watch."

"Oh!"

Mistaking her exclaimation for disappointment, he became flustered. "I-I didn't know what colour you wanted because you can't really see colours…so I just got a black one!"

"Yuuma," Kataoka said, stopping him. "I'm…I'm so grateful. This is too kind. It must have cost heaps. I feel like I don't deserve you! I mean, you haven't stopped being a gentleman for two years, ever since we met!"

He laughed. Her heart swelled. "May you put it on for me?"

"Of course."

She held out her arm, and a cool, metal band was wrapped around her wrist.

"There you are."

"Thank you, Yuuma."

"My pleasure."

They sat in comfortable quietness for a bit longer. She ran her fingers over the face of her braille watch.

"Um, Isogai?" Megu perked up. She took a deep breath to steady her racing heart. "Do you mind…if I…hug you?"

Silence.

"If you don't feel comfortable then that's okay too," she hurried. "I'm just really grateful for the watch. And you're such a kind friend, I…"

She was momentarily interrupted by the feeling of his arms wrapping around her waist.

Blinking rapidly, she carefully returned the embrace, immediately feeling safe and happy.

"I'm really happy I met you," Kataoka whispered.

"Same," Isogai whispered back.

He let go, and she drew back. "Do you want cake now?"

"Green tea and white chocolate?" she asked hopefully.

"As always." She could hear the grin in his voice, and grinned back.

—

Isogai was woken up by a persistent ring of his phone.

It was two in the morning. He swore he would murder Maehara for lamenting to him over his latest breakup this late. Couldn't he lament to Okano? Wait, no. That was a practical death threat.

Eventually, his positive and selfless mindset kicked in. He opened his eyes blearily and picked up his phone.

"Hello, it's Isogai," he mumbled.

"Yuuma?" whimpered a familiar voice.

Isogai sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Megu! What's wrong?"

"I-I can't stop throwing up." She gagged and coughed. "I'm scared." She sounded so sad and apologetic that he was wide awake in an instant.

"I'll be there in ten!" he cried. "Just take care, okay?"

"Okay," she muttered.

He flicked on the lights and immediately tugged on his shorts and t-shirt. He scrambled to the front door, pulled on his sneakers, and practically ran out of the house.

After purchasing some medicine from a nearby chemist, he jogged all the way to Kataoka's apartment.

He was scared. For her.

He jammed the spare keys she had given him into the lock and opened the door frantically. It was pitch-black. He found the light switch. The sounds of Megu's retching made his heart flop.

Isogai dumped the medicine on her coffee table and sprinted to the bathroom, where she was kneeling over the toilet bowl.

"Megu? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she moaned. She stood up shakily. "C-Can you hand me the towel?"

He grabbed the small towel and placed it in her hands. Leaning against the wall, Kataoka coughed violently into the white fabric, staining it red.

"Megu, you're coughing up blood," he said, trying to make his voice steady.

"I-I am?" she whimpered, before coughing up even more.

Wordlessly, he picked her up princess-style. She yelped in surprise.

Isogai carried her to her bedroom, and placed her down on her bed as gently as he could.

For the rest of the night, he tended to her sickness, treating her gently and politely.

"I'm sorry, Yuuma," she mumbled. "For pulling you into this."

"I'm happy to," he answered. "Really." He checked the time. "Well, it's around six now. I'll go back to my house and get some sleep before my shift."

"No." Her voice was forceful. "Stay. Sleep on my bed."

"Megu, I can't…"

"It will take you too long to get home. It's the least I can do. Sleep."

He awkwardly obeyed, lying down beside her. "If you say so."

"I do say so."

He chuckled despite the situation, and curled up. It was suprisingly easy to go to sleep.

Before he was asleep, Isogai thought that he felt Kataoka's arms wrapping around him, pulling him into her chest.

But then again, it could have been a dream.

—

Kataoka liked the dress Isogai had bought for her, for her nineteenth birthday. She didn't know what it looked like, but the fabric was soft and comfortable. It was light and thin, good for hot weather.

"I like this dress on you," he said, leaning his chin on her shoulder, arms wrapped around her waist. The action may have a bit too intimate for friends, but Megu didn't mind.

"I'll wear it more often, then," she answered, feeling her heart go frantic again.

"It's blue. Like, the colour of the ocean. So you look like female Poseidon when you wear it."

Megu laughed. She didn't know what blue looked like, or the ocean, but she did know Poseidon. "What are you suggesting, Yuuma?"

"You look like a goddess."

"Charming," she laughed.

"No, really. You're kind of like the total best-friend package. Smart, kind, thoughtful, compassionate, excellent leadership skills, and beautiful, too. Although I'd still really like you even if you weren't beautiful. It's just a plus," he continued.

Kataoka felt her flushing madly. Beauty never mattered to her - she didn't know what she actually looked like. But she trusted Isogai.

"Well, I'm sure you're extremely handsome," she replied.

"You know, this is what I like about you. That you don't know whether I'm good-looking or not."

"You are!"

"I'm not. Anyway, all the other girls like my appearance. I'm happy you like my personality."

Kataoka blushed again.

"You are a wonderful person, Yuuma," she said sincerely. "I could name a million things."

Then Megu did something she never would have in her entire life - not to anyone. She turned around, putting her hands on each side of Isogai's neck, as softly and gently as she could. Then she leaned forward and kissed him on where his cheek was. It was oddly soft - his cheek.

"I'm so lucky to have you as my best friend," she continued. "Really."

He was quiet, but she had gotten used to knowing this wasn't technically a bad thing.

But after he had been silent for a bit longer than usual, she took her hands off and backed away. "I'm sorry. Did I cross a line?"

"No. Of course not."

He gently grasped her hands again, and she felt soft lips making contact with her forehead.

"I'm so lucky to have you too, Megu Kataoka."

—

Isogai was plagued with mad images, feelings, rushes of her kiss - it had been a year, yet he couldn't stop thinking about it.

He knew she had been aiming for his cheek - but she was blind, and he had turned her head at the wrong time.

She had kissed him on the lips.

Yuuma still felt giddy thinking about it. The electric jolt, the softness of her mouth on his. He couldn't stop blushing about it.

What's more, he had just turned twenty.

Megu had given him an impressive pen and notebook set, all in black and gold. Of course, she couldn't see the colours, but she based it on texture. So every time he picked up one of the pieces of stationery or the books, it always felt smooth and cool and nice on his skin. Who knew how simple touch was, yet how complex?

Secondly, his soulmate's name had appeared on his wrist.

It was her.

She was his.

He was her's.

In neat black cursive was her name. Megu Kataoka.

Now he understood why her name had sounded so familiar when they'd first met. It had been echoing inside the back of his mind ever since he was born!

But now…he didn't know how to react to it. Or how to tell Megu. She obviously didn't know. She couldn't see the name on her wrist.

Should he tell her? But they cherished their friendship…would he ruin it?

Again, he thought back to her kiss, and when he returned it - on her forehead, but still.

And then he thought about the way she blushed (adorably), the way she talked (amiably), the way she carried herself about (courageously).

The more he thought, the more he felt like he loved her. Everything about her was admirable. Her persistence, optimism, sensibility, leadership skills, despite her visual disability.

He decided he had to tell her one way or another. He couldn't keep it hidden forever - and Isogai only hoped she returned his feelings.

Having nothing better to do, Yuuma tried running through what he'd say to decrease the awkwardness.

"Hey, Megu, I brought some audiobooks for us to listen to. You have some suncreen in your hair. Oh yeah, and did I mention we're soulmates?"

No. That was informal and ridiculous.

"Megu, I just realised that we are, in fact, soulmates."

Too abrupt…she would be too shocked to reply.

Eventually, he decided to keep it short and simple. And be prepared for rejection.

He only hoped Kataoka wouldn't take it badly.

—

Megu was a little worried. Isogai seemed to be acting…off lately. He was kind of quiet - more so than usual. He stammered a lot more, and just yesterday he actually stiffened when she put her head on his shoulder.

Kataoka was twenty now, and she was annoyed that she couldn't see her soulmate's name. She really wanted to know who it was…hopefully her soulmate, he or she, would find her first. And soon.

The other problem was Yuuma. Again. She had a feeling she had done something upsetting or annoying that had made him unhappy. But Megu wasn't sure how to bring it up, so she said nothing for the rest of week.

She only hoped it would be resolved soon.

—

Isogai felt terrible. Two weeks had passed, and all contact between him and Kataoka had been awkward.

He had invited to a small cafe to talk about the whole soulmate ordeal.

"So…" he started, stirring his coffee with his spoon. "I have something I need to tell you."

"Me too," Kataoka responded quietly, holding her mug steady with both hands. She looked anxious.

"You go first," they both said at the same time. They laughed. "No, you," the two said again, still in unison.

Megu grinned at the second coincidence, and Isogai practically melted. She looked so radiant. Like a goddess. It was so obvious why she was called 'Ikemegu'.

"If you don't mind…I'll go first," she said.

"Sure," he replied.

She took a deep breath and set down her mug. "It's quite serious. It concerns you, as well, and you might be really angry with me."

"Megu, what did you do?" Yuuma asked, suddenly nervous.

She averted her sightless eyes to her knees. "Something really weird happened the other night…I had a dream."

"Oh! But I thought you couldn't," he exclaimed, trying not to sound too rude.

"That's why it's so weird," she sighed. "Okay, so basically…I saw something. A person. And I saw it in actual colour - I didn't know what that felt like until now. They had black hair…and light brown eyes."

Isogai gulped.

Kataoka looked up, right into his eyes, even though she couldn't see. He knew immediately that this was a soulmate thing.

"It was you."

Silence filled the little coffee shop.

Isogai's heart hammered. So did Kataoka's. He knew this because all of a sudden he could - he could hear it, inside his brain, beating with his. For some reason, he knew it was Kataoka's, not his own or anyone else's.

"A-And I know now," she continued, reaching her hands over the table. He clasped them in his own. "I know you're my soulmate. That night when I found out, it was amazing…I could actually see something. I saw colour…I knew what the colours were called. I felt it. I really…saw."

"Megu," he began. "Your name was on my wrist the entire time…I wasn't sure how to tell you. I noticed something. I'm in love with you. I always have been. You're just such an amazing girl, I couldn't not fall in love with you."

Kataoka stared at him, then started crying, much to her own embarrassment.

And then, to Isogai's embarrassment, he started crying as well.

"Y-You're crying too?" she giggled between sobs. "This is probably a soulmate thing."

He stood up, and helped her up too. "I'm really happy you're mine."

"I'm happy I'm your's too," Megu smiled.

Suddenly, on impulse, Yuuma leaned down and kissed her. It was quick and fleeting, hardly there.

"I really love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she whispered back.

And for the rest of the day, their hands were clasped.

Even though she hadn't forgotten her guiding stick.

—

 **Greetings, fellow Isomegu fans!**

 **Personally I'm a big fangirl of these two…so no shame…**

 **Don't forget to review!**


	2. kurajima: between scoops of ice-cream

**2**

 **kurajima**

 **between scoops of ice-cream**

 **—**

Hinano Kurahashi was in a foul mood, and that was a first.

She was both angry, anxious, depressed, and tired - the day had been absolutely terrible.

For one, her boyfriend, who she'd been dating for three years, broke up with her on their anniversary. In front of a huge crowd, for a petty reason. The bastard had stomped all over her present and her heart, and his laughing buddies had the audacity to kick her in the stomach.

Needless to say, Kurahashi was close to tears. It didn't help that almost everyone knew by the end of the day, save for a handful of people who didn't care about the status of Mr. Popularity, her ex.

The orange-haired almost-adult was curled up on her couch, blinking back tears. If only she was as pretty as Kanzaki or Yada or Kataoka, or had a fun personality like Nakamura or Kayano, or a quirk that people found cute, such as Okuda's chemistry skills or Fuwa's manga craze.

It sucked that she was none of those things.

The doorbell of her apartment rang. Hinano heaved a sigh. She wasn't eager for any visitors.

Wiping away the tears that fogged her vision, she mustered up all the courage and dignity she had left, which wasn't very much, and trudged begrudgingly to the door.

She opened it and was met with a wide-eyed Okajima.

"Hi," she said, a little confused as to why he was here. They had gotten quite close during the course of high school and university, as they'd attended the same schools and were often put in the same class. It was relieving to have someone from Class E with you.

"Hi," he answered. "Um…I heard about the breakup."

Kurahashi frowned. "Well, if you think you can score a date with me by sucking up after Udari'd dumped me, you're wrong!" she borderline screamed.

Okajima flinched, and the reality of what she had said kicked in.

"T-Taiga! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean…I…" she stammered, feeling guilty. Maturity had taken its toll on Okajima - he wasn't so perverted anymore. Which made the insult even worse. "I'm not feeling my best today, you see."

He nodded slowly. "You know I wouldn't do that, Hinano."

"I know," she moaned, annoyed at herself. "How did you find out Udari broke up with me?"

"I'm the photographer for the university papers," Okajima replied. "They were going to publish an article on it."

Kurahashi whimpered and covered her face with her hands. "Oh, my goodness."

"But I stopped them," he added, reassuringly. "So it's alright."

"Oh." She took her hands away. "Thank you. That was very kind of you."

He hesitated for a moment, suddenly looking uncharacteristically shy. "I-I knew you would be upset, so I brought some things for you."

It was just now that Kurahashi noticed he was holding a large canvas bag. "Oh, you did?"

"Yup. Vanilla ice cream. Your favourite. Then a book on meditation and David Attenborough's BBC DVDs."

She lit up. "You remembered!" She clapped her hands like an excited child. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"It's alright. Breakups are tough." He shrugged, seemingly nonachantly, what was evidently pleased. "Here you are. Have a good night, Hinano."

Okajima handed her the bag and turned to leave.

"Wait!" she cried.

He turned back around.

"Aren't you coming inside?" she asked.

"You know nature documentaries aren't really my thing…" he began.

"Nonsense!" she exclaimed, grabbing his arm and pulling him in. "Nature documentaries are everyone's thing!"

Okajima huffed. "Well, if you say so…"

—

"This is amazing," Okajima whispered.

"I know," Kurahashi replied triumphantly, licking her spoon.

Granted, her companion seemed more interested in the camera angles than the actual content itself, but she didn't really mind.

Kurahashi was still indescribably grateful for Okajima's kindness. She was quite glad they'd become closer duirng the course of the five or so odd years.

"I never knew seagulls could be so interesting," he mused as the credits rolled.

She nodded, turning towards him, and suddenly was taken aback. He had changed so much - had he always been this tall? Was he always this focused? Actually, had he always been this good looking? She blushed at the thought.

"Actually, I never knew any birds could be so interesting," he continued. "Looks can be so decieving."

"I know, right?" she answered, still not taking her eyes off him.

Okajima stood up to insert the next DVD - Life of Mammals. She found herself watching his every move, before snapping out of it and looking away.

Bad Kurahashi! Bad!

She inwardly cursed herself. It was unlike her to be so…interested in something that wasn't nature-related.

He sat back down. She tried to resist staring at him again, and failed.

Kurahashi almost ignored Attenborough's voice completely, which was unusual. At times, she actually caught herself staring at Okajima's freaking TONGUE. Licking his spoon clean.

ARGH! Bad Kurahashi! Bad, bad, bad!

She was becoming so…unladylike! Ogling a man - not just any man, her good friend! Right after she'd been broken up with, too! What was she now, female Maehara? This couldn't do!

"Hinano?"

Her head snapped up.

Okajima had paused the documentary and was looking at her strangely. "Are you okay? You've been muttering to yourself for, like, twenty minutes."

Kurahashi blinked, wondering what to say. She looked back at him, meeting his gaze. His eyes were so brown…like chocolate, and tree bark, and—

Bad. Kurahashi. Stop. It.

"I'm fine," she answered brightly. "I'm still a little shaken up about Udari."

"Oh. Yeah, I get it. Wanna talk about it?" He flopped back on the pillows, and she peeled her eyes away.

"It's alright. Let's get back to watching it."

So for the rest of the documentary, Kurahashi did not look even once at Okajima. She resisted the urge to touch him. She resisted the temptation to stare like a creep.

Now I know how Okajima feels when he wants to stare at a girl, she thought. It's very hard to contol.

"Okay Hinano, what's actually wrong?"

He had switched the video to a pause again. She hadn't noticed.

Kurahashi gulped.

"I swear, I'm just thinking about Udari," she lied.

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"Uh-huh." She nodded.

"Hmm." He averted his eyes back to the frozen television. "Maybe I'm just overthinking it, but I'd say that you were watching me."

Hinano stared at him with wide peridot eyes.

"But then again, I do tend to get my hopes up a lot," he continued.

She still said nothing.

He moved to press play on the remote, but something struck inside Kurahashi.

"Wait."

She placed her hand over his, stopping him.

He raised an eyebrow again. She swallowed. "Can I…talk?"

A shrug. "Sure."

"About…you?"

This caught his attention. "What about me?"

"It's just…" her eyes flittered to the screen again, before falling down on the pillows. "I suddenly know how…how you feel!" She covered her face again with her hands, feeling herself redden.

"How I feel about what?" Okajima asked, moving so he was half-leaning over her. Kurahashi flushed even brighter at this.

"How you feel…when you see a really pretty girl?" she tried.

"Ah." He nodded knowingly. "You're a lesbian."

Kurahashi shot up, surprising him. "Wh-What? That's not what I meant!"

He blinked. "Then…what do you mean?"

"Um," she said, trying to word what she wanted to say as un-creepily as possible. "Okay, fine, I'll admit it. You're right."

"So you ARE lesbian?"

"No! I meant you were right about me watching you!" Hinano yelled.

Okajima said nothing for a while. "You…were?"

"Yes! I just…I find you really attractive, okay?" she blurted. "I mean, maybe I've always felt that way? I don't know! It's just…complicated!"

He was silent again. "Hinano," he said slowly. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

She huffed. "Oh, for goodness sake! I'll just say it! Okajima, YOU ARE HOT!"

He jolted, as if she had slapped him.

"EXTREMELY HOT!" she continued, no longer having control over her emotions. "TO ME, ANYWAY!"

He turned to her. "You…actually think that?"

"Yes?" Suddenly she regretted what she'd just said. "I'm sorry!"

"Why are you sorry?" he asked, chuckling. "That's a compliment." He blushed. "Especially coming from someone like you."

"What do you mean?" she questioned.

"Okay, look - I kind of lied too."

"You did?"

"I told you I wasn't here just to ask you out on a date. Truth is, I've always really liked you, but then that Udari guy just had to sweep in and steal you…so, I was kind of eagerly awaiting when you'd break up?" he explained, wincing. "Oh boy, I sound like such a creep…"

Kurahashi laughed in relief. "Well, I'm glad! I think I really like you too!"

"Are you actually being serious?" he said, still not quite able to believe it.

She rolled her eyes, and to prove her point, she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Yes. I've never been more serious."

Okajima looked slightly embarrassed. "That's good." After not knowing what else to say, he kissed her too.

Hinano found herself ridiculously red. It felt strange. Udari never had this effect on her before, and she couldn't think why.

Avoiding eye contact, she looked down at her hands.

Her eyes widened.

"Um, Taiga?" she started, unsure what she was seeing.

"Yeah?"

For some reason, she found herself laughing. "I'm your soulmate."

He peered down on his wrist. "Oh yeah, so you are." He laughed too. "Well, I'm glad."

"It's like fate got me to break up with Udari so you could confess to me," she admitted, giggling.

"I'm happy I did," he responded. He kissed her again, on the temple this time, and Kurahashi felt suddenly so happy that she laughed again.

This was going to happen a whole lot, she knew.

Because of Okajima.

—

 **Forgive me! I love these two dorks so much!**

 **Honestly, Okajima is pretty attractive after the timeskip…**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Please don't forget to review!**


	3. itozama: between the pages of a book

**3**

 **itozama**

 **between the pages of a book**

 **—**

Hazama didn't dislike her job - she loved it, in fact - but like every other human being on the planet, she was grateful when closing time rolled by.

She stood at the desk, sorting through books, when suddenly the doors slammed open with an almighty crash. In fact, the breeze from the door slamming open even swayed her hair a little.

These kind of people Hazama hated, so she ignored the door-slammer and continued arranging books.

After that was done, she sat down at a desk and took out a copy of Dracula, before someone smashed an enormous hardcover onto the desk.

"The Count of Monte Cristo," Kirara observed. Without looking at the borrower, she heaved a sigh. "Well, Itona, haven't seen you in a long time."

She looked up and was met with the stone-dead eyes of one of the members of the ex-squad.

"Does it matter?"

And his voice was stone-cold too. Oh well. She could live with that.

"Of course not," she responded monotonously. "I'm surprised you remembered."

"I have a better memory than you think," Itona said, leaning closer in a rather intimidating way.

Hazama handed the book over. "Please be more careful with the door next time, Na-na-kun," she said, smirking a little. He bristled at the ridiculous nickname.

"I'm not really used to doors yet," he replied. "…Ra-ra-chan."

Her eyes narrowed. Usually, this would send anyone running for the hills, screaming their lungs out while she recorded the whole ordeal and kept it stored on a folder in her laptop.

Alas, this was not the case. Hazama may have been stubborn but Itona was ninety percent stubborn and ten percent human.

"Ra-ra-chan, I need to ask you something," he said. He had no regard for personal space, and edged closer and stared into her eyes. She blinked rather tiredly at this.

"Go ahead, Na-na-kun."

He straightened up. "Ra-ra-chan, can you go out to lunch with me tomorrow?"

She re-opened her copy of Dracula. "Sure. I'm surprised Terasaka has time, but—"

"Not the whole group, Kirara," Itona sighed, sounding exasperated (which was a first considering how emotionless he usually was). "Just us two."

This surprised her. "Seriously?" she asked, standing up in an effort to stare him down. The idea failed miserably, considering he had grown taller. Than her.

"Yes," he said. "I'm dead serious."

"Why?" Hazama questioned.

Itona stared at her like she was an idiot. "Because," he replied pointedly. He looked down at their feet.

Confused, she followed suit.

"Oh."

The red string of fate around her ankle snaked off under the desk, and disappeared into Itona's trouser leg.

—

"This is extremely serious," Itona intoned, after he'd finished a whole mug of black coffee under ten seconds (Kirara was impressed).

"I figured," she answered, leaning back on her chair.

"Listen, Hazama, I don't like you. In the least," he continued.

She nodded. "Yeah, but that didn't stop you from weeping on my shoulder on seven years ago, did it, Na-na-kun?" she smirked.

He rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry, by the way. The feeling is extremely mutual. I even despise the books you dare to touch. And considering how much of a bookworm I am, that's really something," she said.

"Even The Count of Monte Cristo?" he asked, amused.

Kirara narrowed her eyes again, glaring at him. "Damn you for borrowing it."

"Damn you for recommending it to me," Itona corrected, still infuriatingly smug, as his second and third black coffee arrived. "Ra-ra-chan."

"That is one good book," she replied. "Although Dantes should have just read instruction books on the occult so he could put his enemies into nightmarish torture for eternity." She rested her elbows on the table, a rather dark and admittedly nightmare-inducing expression coming on her face. "Forgiveness is such a cliche…"

"Actually, he should have used some kind of heavy object to smash the walls and windows of every house Danglas and Fernard owned," Itona mused. "It would have been very annoying to deal with."

Hazama nodded. "Yes, but Mercedes lives with Fernard."

"Then tell Mercedes that he witnessed Fernard cheat on her, and help her file a divorce."

"Or get Mercedes to kill Fernard too," she added.

"Or get Fernard and Danglas to murder each other!" he said.

"That way…" she started.

"…The police couldn't find out," he finished.

Kirara smiled deviously. "Well, Na-na-kun, you're surprisingly tolerable to hang out with."

"I would say the same for you, Ra-ra-chan," Itona responded.

"It's probably a Soulmate thing," she said, although the word 'Soulmate' felt weird in her mouth.

—

"You do realise that if I keep doing this you're going to end up hating every book in your house?" Itona pointed out as he selected another hardcover.

Kirara had been encouraging to read every novel on her shelf, despite how she'd said that she 'hated every book he touched.'

"That doesn't matter," she answered offhandedly. "To be my soulmate, you need to understand the way I think."

"Creepily, and about ghosts?" he guessed.

She blinked. "Pretty much."

"Well, to be mine, you have understand how I think too," he replied.

Hazama chuckled darkly. "Oh, trust me, Na-na-kun, I have a good idea of what goes on in that mind of your's."

"Such as?"

"Such as, you seem to have a soft spot for romance."

Itona groaned, flopping down next to her on the couch. "Come on! The Fault in our Stars was tragic!"

"You. Are. A. Wuss."

"Says the one who spends hours immersed in racy gothic novels."

"I was only there for the demons! Not the way the author describes their abs!" Kirara groaned. "And besides, that was a phase. And trust me, Fifty Shades of Grey was even worse."

"You read that?"

"I was attracted by the word 'Grey'," she confessed. "I thought it would be more psycological than whatever the hell that was."

He sighed. "You're impossible."

"So are you, you hypocritical squid." She bashed him on the head with one of the couch cushions.

"Our relationship is so weird," he muttered, chucking the pillow off.

Kirara raised her eyebrows. "Use 'unique'," she instructed. "Sappy tweens love that word."

—

Yoshida winced at watching Hazama and Itona interact. "Your relationship…is…"

"Unique," the two said at once.

"And don't you dare say otherwise," Kirara warned.

"Geez. Fine," Yoshida muttered.

Itona closed his copy of Romeo and Juliet. "Wow. I really liked that."

"Because of the tragic love mush?" his girlfriend guessed, still engrossed in Frankenstein. It was her thirteenth time reading it ("an unlucky number - extra thrilling!").

"No, because they both died," said Itona.

Hazama nodded knowingly. "That's understandable."

Yoshida and Muramatsu looked on, both sighing to themselves. They would never understand the wacky - not unique, that was a crap adjective - and ridiculous couple that was 'Itozama', dubbed by Muramatsu.

"Pollyanna is a terrible book," Hazama advised. "Don't read it."

Itona put down the book he was about to read. "Do you have a grudge against happy people or something?"

"Na-na-kun," she said very seriously. "There is a big difference between being happy and being obnoxious."

"Na-na-kun?" Muramatsu whispered.

"You know it's serious when they give each other nicknames," Yoshida whispered back, nodding.

Itona turned towards them. "Yoshida, you're just sore about the fact that you and Hara don't have nicknames for each other." He paused. "You're jealous."

"Jealousy is the best policy," Hazama butted in. "How else could have The Count of Monte Cristo been written?"

Itona gave one of his rare smiles. "Couldn't have said it better, Ra-ra-chan."

"What the hell are they talking about?" Yoshida mumbled.

"It must be a Soulmate thing," Muramatsu replied.

—

Itona was tossing and turning in his guest room bed. Hazama had invited him over for a "Book and Bed" night, which was her idea of a sleepover. It included avid reading, studying curses, watching spiders, and telling scary stories. She had specifically chosen it on a ridiculously stormy night.

And for some reason, Itona couldn't go to sleep.

He didn't know why - he wasn't stressed or bothered or anything.

Eventually, he decided to creep into Kirara's room and find a book to read.

He chose the thickest hardcover he could find - Les Miserables - and took it back to the guest room. Then he switched on the lamp and began.

For the next few hours, he immersed himself in a rather - dare he say it - miserable world. That was no surprise. However, as he flipped the page, a piece of paper fell out.

Frowning, he picked it up and immediately recongised Hazama's ridiculously loopy handwriting.

He began to read it.

 _Dear Itona, you know I'm not good with spoken words. So I wrote this down on paper, because I can, and you can't tell me otherwise. Anyway, I've decided that you're a pretty great guy and I'm actually happy when I'm around you. I know this is absolute sappy shit, but hear me out. Nobody else understands me like you do. So, yeah. I think I love you, Na-na-kun._

 _\- Ra-ra-chan_

Itona found himself grinning for some unbeknownst reason. He kept the letter on his bedside table, and quietly made his way back into her bedroom to return the book.

He hadn't expected it, but Kirara was wide awake, lying sprawled out on her mattress.

"It's probably a Soulmate thing," she said when he had shot her a surprised look.

"Yeah," he answered, slotting Les Mis back in. "So…I found your letter."

"Mm-hm," she hummed, scooting over.

He sat down beside her. "You're right. It was absolute mush."

"I couldn't agree more," she nodded

"But…" he paused, and an unfamiliar feeling washed over him. "I think I love you too…Ra-ra-chan."

Then Kirara surprised him by sitting up suddenly and kissing him quickly on the cheek, before looking away and actually almost blushing.

"I'm reading waaaaayyy too many sappy love stories," she groaned, lying back down.

"Our life is basically a sappy love story," he answered.

She fell silent for a moment. "I really can't sleep now."

"Do you wanna go press our faces to the window of that bratty little girl's room?" Itona suggested.

Kirara's face broke into a wide, terrifying smile. "Oh, hell, yes."

Scratch unique - they were a weird couple.

But they made it work.

—

 **I don't know when I started shipping these two but I honestly don't care anymore XD**

 **Please don't forget to review…**


	4. gakurio: between those memories

**4**

 **gakurio**

 **between those memories**

 **—**

 _Asano was staring candidly at his laptop screen, intesely gazing at the letters and numbers in front of him._

 _"Gakushuuuu…"_

 _He was momentarily distracted by his wife's ridiculously tired, over-the-top groan. Her arms snaked around his neck. To be honest, she was quite clingy, a little annoying, but definitely adorable._

 _"Come to bed, okay? It's already past midnight," Rio Asano complained._

 _"Sorry, honey, I'm almost done."_

 _"What are you doing?"_

 _A head of flowy blonde hair cut off his vision as she tilted her head in front of the screen._

 _"I'm memorising all my employees' ID numbers," he answered, as if it were obvious._

 _She heaved an elogated sigh, leaning back and pecking him on the nose. "You, Gakushuu, my gorgeous sexy husband, are in desperate need of a life."_

 _"Well, considering you_ are _my life, I already have you. Do I not?" he responded, raising a perfect eyebrow._

 _There was a pause._

 _"Stop trying to sweet-talk your way out of this."_

 _He chuckled and averted his focus back on the screen. "Go to bed, Rio. I'll be right there."_

 _"Lies. Lies, all lies," she replied over-dramatically, throwing her arms up in the air. "Very well, Mr. Asano."_

 _He grinned at her immaturity. The smile stayed on his face long after she'd left._

 _—_

 _When they had heard about it, the five were all shocked._

 _"Wh-What? Why did you propose to her?" Seo gaped._

 _Gakushuu rolled his eyes. "Because she paid me money."_

 _"Wait, really?" Araki asked._

 _Asano rolled his eyes again, leaning back in his deskchair. "No, you idiot. I'm in love with her."_

 _"Ohhhh…"_

 _The only one who seemed to approve of this was Ren. No surprise._

 _"Oh, I agree completely," he said offhandedly. "I might even say I ship it."_

 _"Great." Gakushuu turned back to his laptop. "Do you want anything else?"_

 _"N-No…" they all filed out, visibly shocked. Ren shot him gunshot fingers before leaving._

 _—_

 _He loved their rings more than anything else. Her's was rose-gold with a single amethyst; his was golden with a light blue apatite._

 _Nakamura had suggested it - their rings matched the other's hair and eye colour._

 _"So I can think about you whenever I look at it," she had said, kissing him on the cheek. "And those sexy eyes."_

 _She had wanted a big wedding, everything blue-themed. That was what he had given her. When she'd walked down the aisle in that amazing white dress, he hadn't complained. One bit._

 _They got married on a ridiculously sunny day, amidst fancy suits and the constant sniffling of a strangely emotional bridesmaid, Manami Akabane._

 _"That was awesome!" she'd yelled, tossing her bouquet aimlessly behind her. (Hara had caught it, to Yoshida's surprise.)_

 _"You are awesome," he agreed._

 _She laughed. "You're so sappy."_

 _"You know you love it."_

 _"I love everything about you," she responded._

 _He laughed; a rare occurence for him. "Who's getting sappy now?"_

 _"Shush, Mr. Smart-mouth. Dance with me?"_

 _And they did._

 _The day ended with an immense feeling of joy and satisfaction. True, Koyama, Seo, and Araki had been dumbfounded through the entire ceremony. (The former of the list once accidentally insulted Manami's hairstyle and four people had to restrain Karma from beating Koyama up.)_

 _The emptiness Asano'd had all his childhood was suddenly filled up the first night they'd slept in the same bed._

 _—_

 _"Sooo, where's your honeymoon?" Sakakibara pressed._

 _"Paris," Rio responded, answering for Gakushuu._

 _"Oh, the city of romance," Ren said, wiggling his eyebrows._

 _"Actually, we're there so I can improve my French," the blonde corrected._

 _Ren looked at Asano. "She can speak French?"_

 _"What if she can?"_

 _"She's a keeper," he nodded knowingly._

 _Gakushuu shot him a strange look. "She can only speak three languages."_

 _"Japanese, English, French," Rio listed. "But I'm learning Mandarin and German."_

 _Sakakibara smirked again. "Wow. What a genius pair."_

 _The blonde raised an eyebrow. "Um, thank you?"_

 _'Well, I'd best be pursuing another lady today," the brunette announced, standing up. "That brunette girl with short hair? Seems very gymnastic to me. Hinata or something."_

 _Warning bells were going off in Gakushuu's head. He looked towards Rio, who looked at Ren like he was about to be hit by a meteor._

If Okano doesn't kill him, Maehara will _, Rio's voice echoed in his head._

Excellent, then _, Gakushuu telepathically replied dryly._

 _Nakamura's giggle rang out._ I love talking like this.

That makes the two of us.

 _He looked down at the string of fate joining them together. It gave him even more comfort than looking at his wedding ring._

 _—_

 _"What's this?" he asked, looking down at the paper she'd handed him._

 _"Ten reasons why I love you," Nakamura answered offhandedly._

 _He opened it and began to read as she hummed and walked off._

One; you're extremely attractive. Face it, Gakushuu, you kind of get startled whenever you look in front a mirror. I'm surprised you haven't fallen in love with your own reflection yet.

Two; you're extremely kind. Never thought you'd have it in you, Mr. I-Hate-Class-E.

Three; WE CAN COMMUNICATE TELEPATHICALLY. LIKE HOW COOL IS THAT?

Four; you know how to kick ass. It's pretty cool.

Five; you're an absolute genius. Don't be too humble. You are actually ridonkulously smart.

Six; you're super generous. I saw that expensive scarf you're giving me hiding in the cupboard.

Seven; you're adorable. Really. I internally squeal whenever I see you.

Eight; we're soulmates. If you didn't love you, then something's definitely wrong.

Nine; you always listen to me rant. That means heaps to me. All my love to you.

Ten; you love me back.

XOXO

Your freaking badass wife.

 _The corners of his lips twitched into a smile._

 _—_

He still kept her list on his table.

She was his everything. The reason why he enjoyed life. He loved waking up to see her peaceful face, and falling asleep curled up next to her.

She was both an angel and a demon. Both the smartest and densest woman who ever existed.

Rio Asano was amazing. She was beautiful, she was a genius, and above all, she was his.

But things changed.

December 15th, last year.

Rio had once belonged to Asano.

Now she belonged to Death.

The consequences of a slippery, snowy road and a drunken truck driver had taken away Nakamura from him.

He remembered everything on that night. Crying quietly to himself in the hospital's waiting room. Holding her hand and listening to her ragged, laboured breaths.

When her hand had fallen limp, he had dropped his calm and collected facade.

Gakushuu had gone mad. At first, he had resulted to punching everything - the hospital wall, Doctor Takebayashi, the machines Rio was strapped to.

Then he had stilled, and wept. Harder than any other time in his life. He cried for his loss, her loss. In anger, in resentment, and in heartbreak.

In heartbreak.

His heart ached. He could feel it pulling itself apart.

The string of fate - it had snapped in half.

His precious wife was dead.

Gone.

For ages he sat there cradling her head to his chest, rocking back and forth in some ridiculous stupor.

Days later, with the help of an equally furious Akabane, he had gotten the truck driver into a court case, and eventually jail time.

No matter how long the driver was be locked up for, no matter how many things Gakushuu punched, no matter how many nights he'd stay up, Nakamura would never come back.

He would never again wake up to see her face or sleep with her warm body curled up on her side of the bed. No more nagging, no more sappy love talk, no more lists of his traits.

No more Rio Nakamura.

At least, that was what he had thought.

—

"Gakushuu."

Her floaty, ghostly hands were placed gently on his cheeks.

"Are you thinking about that day?" Rio asked.

Asano nodded, sitting at the end of his bed. Even in death, the spirit of his wife looked cheeky and gorgeous.

"Don't," she said, sitting down beside him. "I'm here, okay? Don't be sad."

She rested her transulent, still-blonde head on his shoulder.

"It's hard not to think about it when your death anniversary's in a week," he replied, rubbing his eyes.

She blinked. "I keep forgetting that."

"Forgetting what?"

"That I'm…you know, dead."

Rio flopped down on the bed. "It seems weird. Only you can see me, right?"

"Yep." He lay down beside her. She entwined their hands together.

She wrinkled her nose. "I wanna haunt Karma and Manami…but I guess I can only haunt you."

"I like you haunting me. If you didn't, I think I'd end up dying inside."

"I like haunting you too," she replied. "I love you, Gakushuu."

"I love you too."

She rolled over so their foreheads were pressed together. "I need to go now, Gakushuu."

"I know," he sighed. He was used to it now. But now, at least he could look forward to tomorrow.

Rio sat up. "Don't be too sad, Gakushuu. Think about it…you'll join me soon enough. Just not too soon, okay?" She kissed him gently. "Well, Koro-Sensei's calling me back. Tomorrow I'll be here extra early. I'll make you dinner, alright?"

"Okay." He wiped away the tears that had come into his eyes.

"Remember I love you, okay? Always," she reminded, before disappearing in a flash of light blue orbs.

—

Gakushuu sat at his laptop, memorising the ID numbers of his new employees.

"Gakushuu?"

Her armed roped around his neck. "I can stay until midnight today. Come to bed?"

For once, he was quick to oblige.

It wasn't even ten o clock.

—

Sixty years later, Asano is lying on his deathbed, ready to leave this world.

Takebayashi's daughter, who is engaged to Manami and Karma's son, watches over him anxiously with her green eyes.

"Your father was a good doctor," Gakushuu says.

"I-I know," Keishi Takebayashi stammers.

"But he couldn't save Rio."

"I know that too."

Then Asano feels a clamping feeling in his chest, and an overwhelming sense of peace. He closes his eyes, and knows his time is up.

—

He wakes up in his twenty-year-old body, on a soft, but solid light pink ground of sakura petals.

The sky all around him is navy-blue, glittering with stars. The light comes from the glowing cherry blossoms blowing down from, seemingly, the sky.

He looks down at his ankle. The string of fate is still there.

And it's connected to her.

He runs.

He runs, following the red string as fast as he possibly can.

She is standing in the distance, hair blowing in the wind.

"Gakushuu?" she whispers, turning around, sensing him there.

He can hardly breathe.

"Gakushuu!"

And then suddenly, she's running into his arms, and he spins her around, laughing.

He's home, and she's here with him.

—

 **…**

 **…I'm absolute Gakurio trash.**

 **This was kind of angsty…review, please!**


	5. kimuyada: between fake smiles

**5**

 **kimuyada**

 **between fake smiles**

 **—**

 **Hey guys! I'm super sorry I haven't been able to update lately. Also, the rating is going to be bumped up to a T because of this chapter.**

 **Thanks to all who reviewed!**

 **TRIGGER WARNING: ATTEMPTED SUICIDE**

 **—**

Being friendzoned hurt.

A lot.

Yada eyed her best friend, Justice Kimura, between peals of laughter, trying to contemplate why she wasn't perfect for him.

Okay, maybe she was being a little selfish - but come on, they got along so well it was almost scary. They could basically read each other's minds. They had met in kindergarten.

Besides, most of her friends shipped them.

When they'd told Yada this, she'd laughed it off, a little awkwardly, despite the fact that she agreed completely.

She was deeply head-over-heels in love with Kimura.

Unfortunately, she'd never mustered up the courage to tell him. When she had tried, he'd misinterpreted it. And since then, Toka had lost all confidence.

The least she could do was cherish his company. She could probably make an endless list about why he was so amazingly perfect.

Simply put, Yada loved Kimura.

Simply put, Kimura had kind of friendzoned Yada.

—

"Toka!"

She turned around at the sound of her name. She had been staring proudly at her admittance letter to the University of Tokyo.

Kimura grabbed her by the waist and spun her around in the air. Yada laughed, unable to control her happiness. She always tried to live to her full potential with him. Not a minute should be wasted.

"I got into my first preference university!" he yelled, once he had set her down.

"You did?" she grinned. "Same here!"

He pulled her into a hug, which she returned tightly.

Until it hit her.

Her grin fell.

Justice's chosen university was all the way on the other side of Japan.

She swallowed, a lump appearing in her throat.

"Yada? You okay?"

"Yeah…I'm just really happy. For you. And us," she lied.

"Oh." He broke away and grabbed her hand, swinging it. "I'm going to miss you so much, Yoka."

She smiled, and was a little down when she realised his words didn't have the intent and depth she'd wanted. She wanted him to kiss her, treat her like his girlfriend…but it wasn't possible.

"I'm really going to miss you too," she responded, wishing desperately that he noticed the love in her voice.

They walked side by side back to his house, and each step made her heart sink a little more.

—

Yada closed her eyes, holding in her tears.

"Have a safe flight," she whispered, voice slightly hoarse.

"See you in a few years," Kimura replied, suitcase in hand.

A few years? Was that two years or ten?

"I love you," she said, pretending they were actually dating.

"Love you too."

They exchanged this every day. But he only saw it as a platonic thing. She saw it as a romantic thing.

On impulse, she tugged down his collar and kissed him on the cheek.

"I really love you. More than anyone else."

He hugged her again. She would miss his touch.

"I need to go now," he reminded gently.

She wanted to scream at the university for taking away her Justice - but it was illogical and immature.

Biting down on her tongue, Yada waved as he disappeared into the crowd.

—

They facetimed twice a day. One in the morning and one in the evening.

She was grateful for being able to see his face and hear his voice, but she couldn't hug him through that computer screen. She wanted so bad to touch him, squeeze him, maybe even kiss him.

Despite this, she always put on a fake smile on him. He liked her smile.

They talked sometimes until midnight. Yada was getting behind in classes.

She envied Kurahashi and Okajima, being together in person, walking around campus all the time with their arms linked, usually gushing together about ice-cream and nature documentaries.

Sometimes, for a fleeting moment, she imagined herself and Justice. Would he join the track team? Would he sneak notes under her door when it was lights out?

But the thoughts were impossible.

Each day, she missed him more and more.

She kept pictures of them propped up on her desk, so at least she'd feel better when she was catching up on work. Photos of all their times together - which, admittedly, was a lot.

Her laptop suddenly rang out. Scrambling to grab it, Yada almost tripped over herself to answer Kimura's facetime call. She pulled it up, and was confused when it came up with a dark screen.

"Justice?"

"Oh, haha, hi Toka!"

So his voice was there…his image wasn't, though.

"Jus, I think something's wrong with my computer screen…I can't see you," she muttered, furrowing her eyebrows.

He laughed again, but it sounded kind of nervous. "Yeah. Sorry about that. I have a surprise for you, so I covered the camera."

"Oh!" she smiled, feeling a sense of ease. "A surprise? Cool!"

"Yeah! Wanna see?" he sounded relieved, more relaxed.

"Sure thing!" She readied herself for either a jump scare or something truly wonderful,

She got neither.

Trying to sustain her now-forced smile, Toka blinked and resisted the urge to wince.

"Y-You dyed your hair?" she said. It came out more of a question than a statement.

He nodded enthusiastically. His purpley-blonde ombre hair nodded with him. "Do you like it?"

She didn't like it in the least. It didn't look like Justice. It was absolutely hideous in her eyes.

"I love it," she lied, swallowing a lump in her throat. "It suits you perfectly."

Since when was it so easy for her to lie?

"Perfect! If you love it, then Shiri will too!"

Her heart stopped.

"Wh-Who?"

It was awkwardly silent for a second. "Did I not tell you about Shiri?" Kimura asked.

"No!"

Her answer was so angry and loud that he jumped, startled.

"Well, she's this girl I like…"

Oh.

"She's really smart…"

Oh, no.

"I think you two would get along…"

Crap.

Crap, crap, crap.

"Yada?"

She jolted out of her stupor. "Uuum, I think Kurahashi is calling me…see ya!"

"But Toka—"

Without waiting for him to answer, she slammed her screen down, taking deep breaths. Her heart was racing, and her cheeks were hot and red. She put her head in her hands, trying to steady her breathing.

It's fine.

It's all fine.

"B-But it's not…" she whispered. She felt tears come to her eyes and tried blinking them back. It failed.

Yada sobbed to herself, feeling a sense of bitterness and anger and…just plain old sadness.

—

"Yada?"

The brunette almost snapped her pencil in half, bending over her homework.

"What?" she snapped. She turned around to see Hinano and Okajima. "Oh, hey guys! Sorry." She had been in an irritable mood lately.

"We need to talk." For once, the bubbly and childish Hinano sounded stern and serious. She took a seat next to Yada, gently taking the pencil and paper away from her.

"About what?" Yada questioned.

"About Kimura."

"What about Kimura?"

Kurahashi frowned. "He's been asking me why I keep interrupting your Facetime calls."

Yada gulped.

"But the thing is, I don't think I've ever interrupted any of your Facetime calls."

"Um…"

Strangely, it was Okajima who calmed Kurahashi down.

"Okay, Yada," he said, deciding to take control of the situation. "Something's up."

"Nothing's up," she protested.

Okajima sighed. "Okay, look. Something's definitely off, but maybe not with you, exactly."

The brunette's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean by that?" she questioned.

"Well, Kimura says he has a crush on this girl…called Shiri Nise. Thing is, there isn't any girl called Shiri Nise, or anything remotely close, in his univesity."

Yada straightened. "Wait, you're saying you hacked onto the school website and checked every single person's name?"

"No…Ritsu did."

She relaxed slightly.

"Anyway, you get my point. Kimura is hiding something, and that's up to you to find out."

"Why me?"

"Because you're his best friend, obviously."

She chewed her bottom lip. "Okay…I'll ask him."

—

She did. She really tried.

—

He cut off all contact from her the next day.

—

Yada was unable to concentrate, sleep, or eat in the next few days. There was a nagging voice in the back of her mind, a weird sensation that bothered her, that she longed to swat away like it was an annoying bug.

She wasn't quite sure what it was that was pushing at her brain, but it was remotely linked to Justice.

And one night, when she tossed and turned for the fortieth time, trying to find a comfortable position, she suddenly shot up in bed, as if hit by something electric. She looked around wildly, before hopping out of bed. Adrenaline and a sudden important impulse rushed through her body.

She grabbed a duffel bag and stuffed in a bunch of clothes, as well as her laptop.

She shot Kurahashi a quick text, knowing her friend would go bersek if she'd left without a notice. It was midnight, and the streets were dark when she stepped out.

Yada drove to the airport, and the next hours were blurred. She only listened to the constant nagging voice in her head, pushing her on as she boarded her plane.

The voice stayed in the brain throughout the flight: GET TO KIMURA.

When she stepped out of the airport she'd arrived at, a blast of light her in the eyes. It was already late morning.

Wondering what on earth she'd done, and yet still insistent to find him, she called a taxi to his university.

Luckily for her, Sugino was boarding at the same university, and was extremely surprised to find her there.

"Yada!" he greeted, albeit confused. "What are you doing here?"

"Good question," she answered. "I don't even know. Where's Justice?"

"He left a few minutes ago."

"Where to?"

Whilst the baseballer clearly had no idea what was going on, he gave her the destination - a secluded bridge, popular for walkers - on her phone, and bade her farewell, still perplexed.

—

The park was in walking distance. Finding the bridge was a problem in itself.

Toka stared, exasperated, at the third pair of crossroads she had come across.

The nagging voice came again. It told her to go left.

So she listened to the voice, and ran down the path, deeper into the rows of pines. It was eerily empty, but the rustling and chirping of nature made her feel a bit better.

Soon enough, a large stone bridge came into view. She sprinted towards it, puffing and panting.

The closer she came, the clearer she saw. And what she saw was so alarming that she stopped in her tracks.

"JUSTICE!" she screamed. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"

When he didn't answer, she started running again and grabbed his arms before he hurtled over the edge.

"Yada?" he looked vaguely dazed. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving you, apparently!" she replied, anger and shock still etched into her features. "Were you…were you trying to…kill yourself?"

He blinked. She slapped him in the face.

"Answer me!"

He took a deep breath. "Yes."

Her voice softened. "Why?"

Kimura paused. "I…I can't live like this anymore, Toka."

"Live like what?" she questioned.

For the first time, she saw him cry. He sank down to the ground. She followed suit, cupping his face in her hands. "Justice. I'm sorry for yelling at you…but what's wrong?"

"I couldn't keep living with you being my best friend," he said, placing his hands over her wrists.

"Wh-What?!"

He took another shaky deep breath. "I'm in love with you."

When she remained silent, he continued. "I didn't want you to be sad when I died…so I made up the story about being in love with another girl, so you would hate me. So you didn't get hurt when it happened. I dyed my hair so they wouldn't be able to recongise…you know, my dead body."

Yada stared at him for a long time, before bursting into tears and burying her face in the crook of her neck.

He could feel her hiccupy sobs, and he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so sorry, Toka."

"You should be!" she bemoaned. "You're such a selfish moron! Did you honestly think I wouldn't care if you passed? Even if I hated you? Did you not notice how much I was in love with you?"

"You what? I thought you only thought of me as a friend…I thought you friendzoned me."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Yada asked.

He shrugged. "The same reason you didn't tell me, most likely."

"The batshit reason about not wanting to ruin our friendship?"

"Yeah."

They sat there in silence.

"Justice, you know by killing yourself, you'd kill me too?" she began again.

She released herself from their embrace, and kissed him. "Please don't leave me. Ever."

"I won't," he answered. "I promise."

—

He kept his promise.

—

Until they both passed away, together, seventy years later.

—

 **I'm sorry for this crap. Feel free to send in as many prompts (I have couples sorted, but actual ideas would be nice, XD) as you like.**

 **\- Reade**


	6. karmanami: between your texts

**6**

 **between your texts**

 **—**

 **I figured I'd update twice. This was super easy and fun to write. Hope you enjoy!**

 **Response to reviews:**

 **Austistic Grizzly: Yeah, sorry. I have a dark mind.**

 **Ac: Thank you so much for those prompts! I already have the Karmanami one down, I'm sorry :( But the Chibahaya one sounds amazing!**

 **—**

sadist666: Hi.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Good morning. Who's this?

sadist666: Your soulmate, apparently.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Is this a prank?

sadist666: No. You know how super rich people can hire machines to track down their soulmates?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: This feels like a serious violation of privacy.

sadist666: Trust me, I don't want to be here either. Too bad, because I am. What's your name?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Manami is fine, considering we're…soulmates.

sadist666: I guess you can call me Karma, then.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: How have you been?

sadist666: Terrible. What's with the small talk btw?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: What do you expect me to say to my soulmate I've just met?

sadist666: Fair enough.

—

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Um, hi. Again.

sadist666: Look who hasn't talked to me in two weeks.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: I'm sorry. This just feels so awkward.

sadist666: What else is new?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: What am I supposed to talk to you about?

sadist666: Idk. Yourself?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: I am not an interesting person.

sadist666: Try me.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: …I like purple?

sadist666: That's a terrible start.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Sorry.

sadist666: Explain your username, Poisons-Vending-Machine Manami.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Well, I like making dangerous chemicals in my spare time.

sadist666: Oh, really?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Yes. Is that weird?

sadist666: I see why you're my soulmate.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: I figured you would say that.

sadist666: ?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: With a username like 'sadist666' you can't expect them to be a good person…

sadist666: Lol. Coming from someone who makes poison in their spare time? You sound just as sadistic tbh.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: That may be slightly misleading. I'm a very introverted person.

sadist666: Well, do you hate anyone?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Now that you say it, yes.

sadist666: Gimme the goods

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Well, there was this bratty politician man who didn't like the medicine that me and my colleague came up with.

sadist666: *my colleague and I

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Sorry.

sadist666: Np. Hey, who's this politician dude? I might know him.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: It was quite a while ago. I didn't even know his name, but I wanted to burn his face off.

sadist666: So you ARE sadistic.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Only at the best of times.

sadist666: Lol

—

sadist666: I have a question for you.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Sure, go ahead.

sadist666: Why do you create poisons AND medicines?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: I like helping people.

sadist666: That didn't answer the first one.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: I just like mixing together chemicals and creating something new, a new reaction. Like drawing and music.

sadist666: Wow. Now I have an excuse when people catch me setting houses on fire.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: You're very witty. It makes me laugh.

sadist666: Say 'lol'

Poisons-Vending-Machine: What?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: What does 'lol' mean?

sadist666: Holy shit.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: What?

sadist666: Laughing out loud.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: What?

sadist666: Lol means 'laughing out loud'

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Oh. Wait, why?

sadist666: You're hopeless. Gtg

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Okay.

—

sadist666: Isn't Space Oddity the best song ever?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: What's Space Oddity?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Hello?

sadist666: …

sadist666: There's no way we're soulmates.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: I'm sorry.

sadist666: You're so polite, it's scary.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Sorry.

sadist666: Stop saying sorry!

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Sorry.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Oh no! Sorry!

Poisons-Vending-Machine: THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!

sadist666: Lol

sadist666: Just stop apologising.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Okay.

sadist666: Lol. That's better.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: :)

sadist666: :)

—

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Hey Karma! Just wondering if we could meet up one day!

sadist666: Depends if you're currently in America.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Scratch that. Whoops.

sadist666: All g

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Will you be returning to Japan?

sadist666: In a couple of weeks, yeah

Poisons-Vending-Machine: So can we meet up then?

sadist666: Sure thing. When and where?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Which part of Japan do you live in? I live in Kunungigaoka.

sadist666: Rlly? Same! Lol

Poisons-Vending-Machine: I know a great cafe. I'll email you the address.

sadist666: Cool.

—

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Thanks so much for the date :)

sadist666: Np

Poisons-Vending-Machine: I'm sorry for my stammering issues, they take a while to fade…

sadist666: It's fine. Imo it's really cute actually.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Thank you.

sadist666: Np

—

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Happy Valentine's Day!

sadist666: Happy Valentine's Day, I guess.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Was I supposed to get you something?

sadist666: Idk. I didn't tho. Soz.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: It's okay.

sadist666: Whatevs here xoxo

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Xoxo, then. :)

—

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Good morning.

sadist666: Wow you get up early.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: It's only five in the morning.

sadist666: 'Only' five.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Sorry.

sadist666: What did I say about saying sorry?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: I'm not sorry?

sadist666: Lol. You're actually soooo hopeless.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: I know.

sadist666: It's kind of cute.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Aw, thank you.

sadist666: You're welcome. Lol

Poisons-Vending-Machine: I can never get used to text slang. Speaking of, what does 'ttyl' mean?

sadist666: Talk to you later.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Okay bye!

sadist666: Wait what?

sadist666: No I was answering your question.

sadist666: Holy shit why do I find your stupidity cute?

—

sadist666: Heeeeyyyy

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Hi :)

sadist666: Just curious, do you know what 'ily' means?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: I love you.

sadist666: Hahahahaha love you too ;) That was sudden.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Oh wait! I was answering the question!

sadist666: Lol serves you right after what happened last time lmao

Poisons-Vending-Machine: What does 'lmao' mean?

sadist666: What do you think it means, Manami?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: I don't know…

sadist666: Laughing my ass off.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Oh. Okay.

sadist666: Lmao

—

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Karma-kun have you seen my chemistry book?

sadist666: Which one? Lol

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Oxford Chemistry, Edition Three. It has a green cover.

sadist666: You left it at my house a few days ago.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Oh thank goodness! I thought I lost it!

sadist666: Lol.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Can I collect it tomorrow?

sadist666: Sure. Can I treat you to dinner while we're at it?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: If you really want to!

Poisons-Vending-Machine: You don't have to.

sadist666: Too bad :)

—

sadist666: ROMEO ROMEO WHERE THOU ART THOU ROMEO

sadist666: HEY WHERE U AT MAMANAIMANI

sadist666: EEEEEEHHHHH MACARENA

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Karma! Are you drunk?

sadist666: WON MACA TOO MACA FREE MACARENA

Poisons-Vending-Machine: You're definitely drunk. You don't even know how to spell the numbers…

sadist666: THATS DISKRIMINATION TO PEEP HOLE HOO CANT SPELL

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Why do you keep using the Caps Lock?

sadist666: MAMANAIMANI I LOVE YOU

sadist666: MAMANAIMANI I LOVE YOU SO SO SO SO MUCH

sadist666: LETS RUN AWAY AND GET MARRIEDDD

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Bye.

sadist666: NO MAMANAIMANIIIII

—

sadist666: Holy shit. I'm so sorry. I got wasted last night.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: It's okay. :)

sadist666: I regret everything.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: It's really fine. I know you didn't mean any of it.

sadist666: Except for the 'I love you' bit ;)

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Really?

sadist666: Why not?

sadist666: You underrate yourself, Manami. Who knows I'd fall in love with some hopeless science nerd?

Poisons-Vending-Machine: I don't even know if that counts as a compliment.

Poisons-Vending-Machine: Are you free Saturday?

sadist666: Done.

—

 **Now I have three couples starting with K apparently.**

 **Don't forget to review and send in prompts! :)**


	7. chibahaya: between rivals

**7**

 **chibahaya**

 **between rivals**

 **—**

 **Hiii people! Sorry for the lack of updates, and sorry for this being short - I promise I'll update more on the summer holidays!**

 **Also I have no idea how to play paintball or what it's like so forgive me please…**

 **—**

Hayami was skilled.

Very skilled.

That was quite obvious.

Whether academically or in shooting, she had great talent and everlasting patience. She was professional and business-like, ambitious and stoic.

Hayami was going to be very successful in life.

Broadly speaking, there were only two things that bothered her.

The first was that she was already seventeen and she still hadn't found her soulmate. Like everyone else, Hayami was born was two different coloured eyes - her own natural eye colour and her soulmate's. When she would meet her soulmate, her eyes would automatically turn back to their natural, original colour.

So she walked around with one maroon eye and one green eye, looking a sight, but no different from her other comrades. However, her friends had already found their soulmates - Kanzaki's blue eye changed to brown to match the other, and Okuda's right golden eye turned to an identical purple as her left.

Hayami had looked for ages, but she still hadn't found a man - or woman - with one maroon and one green eye.

It was frustrating and time-consuming.

The second problem was her long-time arch rival in academics and sharpshooting.

Ryunosuke Chiba.

She didn't openly hate him, but held a degree of envy and distaste for him. Chiba disliked her equally as much, if not more.

They had, by fate and coincidence, ended up attending the same primary school, middle school, and high school. She was pretty sure he'd gotten into her university, too.

"I don't understand why you dislike him so much," Kanzaki had said.

That was easy for her to say. Both of Hayami's closest friends were gentle and generous and quiet, like herself, but they seemed to be scientifically unable to dislike a person.

Hayami's annoyance over her two problems were blatantly obvious.

Kanzaki and Okuda were so lucky to have found their soulmates at a ripe young age, so they wouldn't be distracted over finding them when they were older and needed to work. Yes, this was Hayami's main concern.

Chiba…was…different. Whilst he was practically her male clone, he was liked and accepted more than she was. Why was that? It wasn't fair! They acted exactly the same, so what made Chiba, some weird emo, more popular than her?

Hayami was not a petty and selfish woman, but she had a right to be upset by his existence. And that was exactly how she felt.

—

"I mean, you could always put an ad in the newspaper," Okuda suggested brightly. Hayami looked up at her. The ginger found herself once again unused to the absence of the chemist's golden eye - her soulmate Karma's eye colour.

"That would make me seem too desperate," she replied, voice flat and stiff.

Kanzaki set down her phone on which she was most likely texting heart emojis to Sugino with. "But Rinka-chan, if you're very stressed about it, you need to take action."

"I agree with Yuki-chan," Okuda said.

Hayami frowned and looked away - a seemingly typical act of haughtiness to people who didn't know her well, but a familiar representation of shyness to her close friends. "No thanks."

The bell rang loudly, and the three of them stood up. Kanzaki beamed as she spotted her baseballer boyfriend from a distance. "I'd better go grab Sugino for Commerce. See you guys!" She waved cheerily and bounced off.

Hayami rubbed her temples as Okuda silently stuck by her side - two often walked in comfortable silence. Hayami's head ached from seeing all the coupley, mushy nonsense. It made her even more stressed.

She felt guilty for being spiteful towards poor Sugino, who she regularly addressed coldly and robotically due to the grudge she held against him for 'stealing' Kanzaki. Karma attended a different high school (thank goodness) so he didn't face Hayami's pointless wrath - which Okuda was slightly concerned about.

Hayami entered her maths classroom and greeted Fuwa, who was the only student besides Hayami who hadn't found their soulmate. Fuwa had one leaf-green eye and one purple eye, and looked just as strange as Hayami. For that she was grateful.

"Good morning, class," their teacher, Koro-Sensei, greeted, black hair dishevelled (probably from escaping a smash on the head from Irina-sensei). "I'll be a little busy today with some test-marking, so I have a worksheet for all of you!"

The class collectively groaned whilst Koro-Sensei chuckled his strange chuckle. "Hayami, Chiba, do you mind handing these out? Thank you."

Hayami narrowed her eyes at her rival's name. She brisk-walked up to the teacher's desk, but Chiba reached it first. They both scrambled for the smaller pile. He snatched it out of her hands. "You can take the bigger pile," he said, smiling slightly.

Hayami bristled. That little—

Huffing, she diligently started handing out the sheets, internally cursing Chiba.

She sat back down and started working on the problems. She was gifted and smart - knowledge came easily. Twenty minutes later, she finished and scraped her chair back, just as another person did the same.

Her eyes flitted to the back of the room.

Chiba.

He immediately sensed her gaze and borderline ran to Koro-Sensei's desk. Hayami followed suit.

"DONE, SIR!" they both screamed, banging their paper down on the table.

Koro-Sensei looked up. "Excellent. Allow me to check your answers."

At an alarming speed, he marked their worksheets. "Hayami with a 98 and Chiba's all correct. Outstanding!"

Hayami took a deep breath. Two points off. And he got full marks! Ridiculous!

The smugness radiated off Chiba the way heat radiated off a heater (for lack of a better simile). She resisted the urge to punch him and returned to her seat, temporarily humbled for the day.

—

"Where the hell did you get this?" Hayami asked, eyes wide.

Karma grinned. It reminded her vaguely of a crocodile reading to chomp someone's neck in two.

"I have my ways," he answered mysteriously.

"He means he won it from a community event," Okuda quipped helpfully.

"Damn it, Manami! I was trying to sound mysterious!"

"Sorry…"

"I was joking. I love you."

"Oh…sorry."

"You apologise too much."

"I'm not sorry?"

Hayami ignored their playful and loving banter and focused on Karma's birthday present to her. Two vouchers for a one-on-one paintball fight. She remembered the last time she'd help her team become victorious during a three-team paintball war. But these tickets were just for her and a chosen competitor.

And she knew exactly who she wanted to invite.

When Hayami had a mission, nothing would get in her way (except maybe a brick wall and armed guards). She took her keys and phone, put on her ankle boots, and started walking dutifully to Chiba's house.

Good grief, what was she doing? Being an idiot, that's what. However, the competitive streak in her marched on, and so did her ankle boots, and Hayami eventually found herself ringing the doorbell of his house.

He opened the door immediately and looked so shocked that she almost laughed in triumph.

"Hi," she greeted flatly.

"Good morning." His tone was equally stoic. "What are you doing here?"

"Challenging you to a duel."

He straightened up, obviously interested all of a sudden. "What for?"

"Paintball." She shoved one of the vouchers into his hand. "Take it or leave it."

He glanced down at it and she wondered how on earth he could see with those ridiculous bangs. "I will destroy you," he said monotonously and without a trace of excitement, before slamming the door in her face.

Nonetheless, Hayami felt immensely satisfied. She would show Chiba who was superior once and for all.

—

Hayami crouched behind a fake tree, wielding her paintball gun. Her camo outfit - which was both the strangest yet the most stylish paintball gear she had ever worn - was currently spotless, without a trace of paint. She intended it to stay that way. The arena was enormous. Figuring height would give her an advantage, she wordlessly scaled the artificial trunk and found a comfortable viewing spot in the plastic branches.

The room was darkened - which was both good and bad. The neon glow-in-the-dark paint would show up nicely on Chiba's gear when she'd claim her victory.

Hayami made sure to be aware of her surroundings at all times. She knew he would be able to sneak up on her, if he spotted her, and she would not let that happen.

There came a rustling sound from the artificial bushes. Hayami grew alert and spotted a mop of black hair in the foliage. She cautiously spider-crawled along the enormous plastic branch so she was hanging directly above Chiba. Cocking her gun, she aimed it at his head, smiling triumphantly.

Before she could shoot, he did.

A neon paintball came sailing towards her arm. Desperate not to lose, Hayami did the dumbest thing that could possibly come to her mind - she released a sound reminiscent to a dying cat, and leapt off the branch that was hovering three metres in the air.

The next few seconds almost appeared in slow motion. Chiba looked up and opened his mouth to either scream or swear at her. He didn't get the chance to do either, as she toppled on top of him in the most awkward position known to man.

Breathing heavily, Hayami struggled to lift her head from his chest. When she did, she realised that their faces were in ridiculously close proximity to each other.

She gulped.

"I-I'm really sorry," she blurted - the nicest thing she'd said to him all decade. "Are you hurt?"

He rubbed his eyes, and for a split second - and the longest second of Hayami's life - she saw his eyes through his bangs.

More specifically, his eye colour.

Maroon and green.

They locked gazes. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead. Hayami blinked rapidly as his eyes - which were by far the most attractive ones she had ever seen - suddenly turned maroon. And she could bet that her's turned green.

"Um," she started.

Suddenly, a wet and sticky paintball lodged onto her hip.

"I told you I'd destroy you," he said.

—

"How long have you known?" she asked tiredly.

"Too long. But I didn't like you, so I never told you," he responded.

Sitting at a cafe, the only word that could correctly describe Hayami's emotions was overwhelmed.

"This has got to be the most disasterous couple of the millenium," Chiba laughed.

Hayami found herself cracking a small smile too. Goodness, was she in love with him?

Most likely.

They were soulmates, after all.


	8. Important AN

Dear readers,

I apologise for my lack of updating. I assure you that I have not abandoned this story at all, and I would very much like to continue it.

2018 was a messy year for my brain, and the start of this year was no better, if not worse. I have not shared my biggest problems with anyone, whether on this website or in person, which may have contributed to the state I was going through at the start of this year. I won't bore you with all of the unnecessary details, but I trust you understand and maybe have been through my predicament.

On behalf of my 2018 self, I apologise for anything I've said or done in 2018 that was distasteful, rude, or stupid.

I'm really grateful for your support, patience, and reviews. They help motivate me to write.

Currently, I'm still trying to get my brain and life in order, but I hope to update soon. If you have any questions about my updating plans or anything else, feel free to PM me.

Yours,

Reade


End file.
